ARTICLES ABOUT RING BY DATE - PAGE 3

Two Allentown men facing trial on sex-trafficking charges admitted they trapped heroin-addicted women in a prostitution ring that federal prosecutors described as modern-day slavery. Deshawn D. King, 34, and Daniel P. Blount, 31, were indicted in September on charges they recruited women to work as prostitutes, advertised them with enticing photos on a website used for adult services, and rented rooms in Allentown area hotels for the women to have sex with their dates. In exchange, Blount and King promised the women money and an unlimited supply of heroin to feed their addictions, the indictment said.

The countdown started. Five … four … three … two … Parents focused their cellphones on their children, ready to snap a photo. Kids clasped their hands together in anticipation. ... one. And the room erupted in red, pink, blue and yellow streamers. "Happy New Year," many parents and children said to each other. It was only 2 p.m., but many of these kids would be fast asleep when 2014 started. So this was their way of saying hello to the new year. On Tuesday, Crayola Experience in Easton held a daylong event, including countdowns, dance parties and bounce houses, for families to ring in 2014.

Take Route 100 south toward Macungie. Just past the Mack Trucks plant, turn right on Gehman, then make your first right on Scenic View. Ahead is the best two-house combination I've seen around here, at the dazzling 6887 Lincoln Drive on your right - collecting for Second Harvest - and vibrantly colorful 3726 Clay Drive on your left. This house has the coolest icicles in the Lehigh Valley. Return to 100, turn right, then make your first left on Willow. You'll see a nice display on the corner at 2920 Sequoia . Return to 100, turn left and enjoy Macungie's nice lights, and turn left at the light on Chestnut/Buckeye.

Palmer Township police raided a township massage parlor Wednesday afternoon and found evidence that employees were offering sex as well as massages to customers, police said. Zhang Bi Zhen, a worker from Brooklyn, N.Y., was detained in the 1:30 p.m. search of the Happy Forest Spa at 202 Village at Stones Crossing, police said. She is cooperating with the investigation, police added. Police said the raid was the latest stage of an investigation that started two months ago, after police received reports of prostitution at the massage parlor.

Kassim "The Dream" Ouma felt on top of the boxing world back in 2004. After escaping from war-torn Uganda where he was kidnapped and forced into the life of a guerrilla soldier at the age of 6, Ouma made his mark in boxing, winning the IBV Junior Middleweight title with a victory over Verno Phillips. But after just one successful title defense, he dropped a 12-round decision to Roman Karmazin in 2005. Following two straight wins, Ouma earned a title shot against WBC and WBO middleweight champion Jermaine Taylor, but lost a 12-round decision.

Several pieces of jewelry, including two Allen High School rings from the 1940s, were stolen Wednesday night in a burglary of a Poconos home. Pocono Mountain Regional police said Thursday the jewelry was taken during a break-in of Ronald Lucid's home on Shasta Drive in the Arrowhead Lakes development in Coolbaugh Township. The burglary was reported 11:35 p.m. Wednesday. Police said they also discovered a second Shasta Drive burglary, in which golf-cart batteries were stolen from a golf cart at the Stephen Oldham home.

A former New York man faces deportation after serving a federal prison sentence for his role in a drug ring that distributed cocaine in Monroe and Northampton counties. U.S. District Judge Edwin M. Kosik sentenced Richard Caba-Batista, 35, to nearly 31/2 years in prison Tuesday in Scranton. Kosik also ordered that Caba-Batista serve four years of supervised release if he is not deported. Caba-Batista pleaded guilty in June to participating in a conspiracy to transport drugs from Texas and New York to sell in Monroe and Northampton counties.

Tom Ring likes to tell his friends and family that they can do anything in life, and he lives what he preaches - even while sleeping outdoors on a billboard. The 44-year-old Ring, who owns Brown Daub Kia in Palmer Township, has offered to kiss mother-in-laws across the Lehigh Valley to sell cars, so camping on a billboard to raise money shouldn't shock anyone. Ring is known for his loud, fast-talking commercials offering quick credit checks, low prices, and great trade-in values.

An Allentown man stole his Upper Macungie Township mother's wedding ring and engagement ring and pawned them in Allentown, police said Thursday. Eric Schwartz, 38, took the jewelry from his mother last month at her Bent Pine Hill, Fogelsville, home, police said. His mother, Anna Schwartz, reported the theft Sept. 17, township police said. Eric Schwartz was arraigned Wednesday by District Judge Ronald Manescu on charges of theft and receiving stolen property. He was sent to Lehigh County Prison under $25,000 bail.

National Penn Bancshares rang the opening bell on the NASDAQ stock exchange Wednesday morning to mark the company's 30th year on the exchange. National Penn, which plans to move its headquarters from Boyertown to downtown Allentown in the spring of 2014, was first listed on the NASDAQ on Oct. 25, 1983. National Penn CEO Scott V. Fainor was joined at the ceremony by members of the National Penn board of directors and the company's executive officers. "National Penn is proud to ring the NASDAQ stock market opening bell on behalf of our shareholders, our board of directors and our employees," Fainor said in a statement.